1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to automatic target detection apparatus, and particularly to such apparatus for use in side-looking sonar or radar systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In side scan, or side-looking energy systems, a carrier traveling over the target area repetitively transmits pulses of energy to illuminate the target area and energy reflected from narrow adjacent strips on the target area is portrayed as a line-by-line picture that is a pattern of highlights and shadows analogous to an optically viewed panorama illuminated by side lighting, with objects outlined in such a way as to permit their identification.
Such apparatus may be used, for example, for military missions, scientific observations, geological surveys, or inspection purposes, to name a few.
For various missions, an operator must continuously view the displayed picture so as to locate possible targets of interest. During the course of a relatively long mission, and due to the relative difficulty of picking out a target in some displays, the viewer often can miss the accurate determination of targets of interest.